Longest Railway Bridges in India: Top 10 List and Facts

Indian Railways serves more than just a method of transport for the populace, it is the lifeline for millions of passengers that use it daily. It covers a land as geographically vast and varied as India. From the vast flood prone Gangetic plains to the highly seismic zones of North East India, from the harsh deserts of the Thar to the backwaters of Southern India, Railways connect all with precision and logistical brilliance. Passengers often wonder what are the longest Railway bridges in India and which bridge comes first in the list of longest railway bridge in India.

In this blog we will cover the top 10 longest Railway bridges in India, starting from the tenth spot to finally the apex position. While we uncover these bridges, we will also uncover their history, which regions these bridges connect to and their economical and geographical importance.

Top 10 Longest Railway Bridges in India:

Without wasting anytime let’s head directly to our longest railway bridges in India:

10. Naranarayan Setu: The Gateway to Lower Assam

The Naranarayana Setu is ranked the tenth spot in our list of longest railway bridges in India. This rail bridge measuring 2.28 kilometres is built on the mighty Brahmputra river at Jogigopha. This bridge derives its name from the 16th Century king who ruled over the undivided Koch dynasty.

Prime Minister Atal Bihar Vajpayee inaugurated the Naranarayana Setu on 15th April 1998. The tenth longest railway bridge in India connects the Bongaigaon and Goalpara districts. 

This engineering marvel is constructed in a double decker bridge style. In the lower deck, there is a railway track while on the upper deck there is a two lane road. This rail bridge is crucial to the economy of Assam by providing movement of the minerals and agricultural produce to the lower Assam region. 

The construction of Naranarayana setu was no easy feat. The most challenging part of this project was the mighty Brahmputra river. This Setu now acts as an important link between Assam, neighbouring countries and national security. 

9. Farakka Barrage Rail Bridge: Controlling the Ganges

Farakka Barrage is quite a famous name in the minds of every Indian. It is popular as a dam for diverting water into the Hooghly river and maintaining the navigability of the Port of Kolkata. However, this is also the home of a 2.3 kilometres long railway bridge.

Indian Railways commissioned the Farakka Barrage Rail Bridge in 1975, and the bridge now serves as the sole rail link connecting Southern Bengal with Northern Bengal and the entire Northeast India. This barrage is thus not just a rail connecting to regions, but a thread that keeps the whole nation intact and integrated. 

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8. Godavari Arch Bridge: An Aesthetic Masterpiece

After exploring the Eastern part of the country, it is now time to move towards the Southern part of the country. Godavari Arch bridge is the eight longest railway bridge in India across the Godavari River at Rajahmundry (Andhra Pradesh). This railway bridge also happens to be one of the most beautiful railway bridges in India.

Godavari Arch bridge is 2.75 kilometres long and was inaugurated in 2003. This rail bridge was designed to replace the Havelock Bridge which was constructed in 1897 and decommissioned in 1997. 

The most striking feature of Godavari Arch Bridge bridge are its iconic arches. Made out of pre-stressed concrete (PSC) bowstring-girder design, there are 28 spans in this bridge, with each span being 97.5 metres. This railway bridge has been connected to the iconography of the region. The city of Rajahmundry is often represented by the iconography of this railway bridge.

7. Godavari Rail-cum-Road Bridge: The Reliable Workhorse

Godavari Rail-cum-Road Bridge ranks Seventh in our list of the top 10 longest railway bridges in India. Measuring around 2.79 kilometres in length it is slightly longer than its predecessor from the same state of Andhra Pradesh and built on the same Godavari River.

The Godavari Bridge also known as Kovvur–Rajahmundry Bridge and is the fourth longest Rail-cum-Road Bridge in India followed by Sri Krishna Setu, Jayapraksh Setu and Bogibeel Bridge. This bridge is built in the style of Grafton Bridge and has a road deck above the rail deck.

Godavari Rail-cum-Road Bridge is one of the most vital components of the South Central Railways and was also the longest railway bridge in Southern India for a very long time. This bridge is instrumental to handling the dense Howrah to Chennai train route.

6. Nehru Setu: The Victorian Era Giant

The Sixth entrant in our list of the top 10 longest railway bridges in India is the historic Nehru Setu. Also called the Upper Son Bridge, this bridge is 3.06 kilometres long and is built across the Son river connecting Dehri-on-Sone with Son Nagar.. 

The Nehru Setu was constructed in 1900 as a part of the Grand Chord line connecting the vital freight corridors from the Chota Nagpur regions of Jharkhand and West Bengal to the Northern Regions of the country. Another river bridge called Jawahar Path runs parallel to this, dedicated purely for road transport.

Despite being older than a Century and a quarter, Nehru Setu still holds strong. This bridge still allows passage to over around 20 trains daily. The secret behind the robust structure of this bridge lies in Victorian era engineering. 

5. Sri Krishna Setu (Munger Ganga Bridge): Bihar’s Modern Link

Sri Krishna Setu is the fifth longest railway bridge in India. Also known as the Munger Ganga Bridge, this bridge measures over 3.75 kilometres long. This rail bridge spans the mighty Ganges River and connects the city of Munger with the districts of Begusarai and Khagaria.

Sri Krishna Setu was built on the name of the first Chief Minister of Bihar Mr. Krishna Singh. Earlier it used to take six hours to reach Khagaria from Munnger. With the construction of this rail bridge it now only takes an hour. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated Sri Krishna Setu in March 2016 for freight train operations. In April 2016, Indian Railways opened the bridge to passenger trains, and in 2022, authorities also permitted road traffic to use the bridge.

4. Godavari Fourth Bridge: The Modern Corridor

The Godavari Fourth Bridge also known as the Kovvur–Rajahmundry 4th Bridge is ranked fourth in our list of top 10 longest railway bridges in India. Measuring 4.13 kilometres long, this railway bridge connects Kovvur to Diwancheruvu. This railway bridge is a part of broader trans-Godavari expansion.

Indian Railways constructed the Godavari Fourth Bridge to strengthen the Eastern railway network, particularly the Chennai to Howrah route. After the bridge became operational, trains now cover a distance that is nearly 150 kilometres shorter, improving both efficiency and productivity for freight movement along this corridor.

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3. Digha Sonpur Bridge (Jayaprakash Setu): Patna’s Arterial Link

Digha Sonpur Bridge takes the Bronze medal in our list of longest railway bridges in India by coming at the third spot. Also known as the Jayaprakash Setu or simply the JP Setu, this railway bridge is a gigantic 4.56 kilometers long. This railway bridge is also the second longest road-cum-railway bridge in India.

Digha Sonpur is named after the great freedom fighter and politician Jayaprakash Narayan and started its operation in 2016. This bridge joins the Digha Ghat in Patna to Pahleja Ghat in Sonpur. Thus, this rail bridge connects Patna to Sonpur train route and is an important gateway for the great Sonpur Mela.

Digha Sonpur Bridge’s biggest contribution is that it connects Northern Bihar with Southern Bihar. This railway is a boon for the Northern Bihar region. The centre of Bihar, Patna is located in the Southern region of Bihar. Before the commencement of this bridge in 2016, the only major connecting source to Patna from the North was the Mahatma Gandhi Setu. Gandhi Setu was often congested and traffic jams were rampant. The launch of Digha Sonpur bridge has brought a sense of fresh air in the region.

2. Vembanad Rail Bridge: Kerala’s Scenic Freight Gateway

Vembanad Rail Bridge is the Silver medalist and is the 2nd longest railway bridge in India. Measuring a humongous 4.62 kilometres, this bridge also stands as the longest dedicated railway bridge in India and the longest railway bridge in Southern India. Unlike other railway bridges on the list, Indian Railways uses this bridge almost exclusively for freight movement.

Vembanad Rail Bridge connects Edappally with the Vallarpadam International Container Transshipment Terminal (ICTT). ICTT is crucial to the construction and operation of this bridge. This bridge spans an ecologically sensitive zone, including Vembanad Lake, from which it also takes its name.

Engineers designed the Vembanad Rail Bridge at an elevation of 23.5 metres above the lake level to protect the lake’s natural habitat. This rail bridge is instrumental in supporting the ICTT and placing Kochi among the global shipping corridor.

1. Bogibeel Bridge: The Longest Railway Bridge in India

Bogibeel Bridge is the longest railway bridge in India. This Bogibeel Bridge length  is an astonishing 4.94 kilometers and connects Dibrugarh to Dhemaji across the mighty Brahmputra river. This Railway bridge often happens to be the longest road-cum-railway bridge in India along with being the second longest road-cum-railway bridge in all of Asia.

Bogibeel Bridge truly represents the height of Indian infrastructure capabilities. This bridge is two storeyed: The lower storey houses two broad-gauge Railway tracks while the upper storey houses a three lane road highway.

The Bogibeel Bridge Assam was launched in 2016 by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi and acts as a vital link for India’s sovereignty and integrity. This bridge connects Upper Assam with the sensitive Arunachal Pradesh, bordering China’s Tibet. The bridge is designed to handle heavy military movement including tanks and fighter jets.

Table: Summary of the Top 10 Longest Railway Bridges in India

Conclusion

So, this was our list of the longest railway bridges in India. We came across different phases of history with bridges as old as the Nehru Setu and as new and advanced as the Bogibeel Bridge. One thing that was constant across our list was that each bridge was constructed to solve  specific problems.

Each Railway bridge either cuts short the travel time, or enables access to paths untravelled due to a river, mountain or sometimes eco-sensitive lakes. These bridges reflect the engineering marvel and ingenuity of the Indians. Each Railway bridge has history and about of thousands of individual involved who came together to solve a national problem.

So, the next time you are travelling across a railway bridge, pause for a while and soak in the contributions and sacrifices that made this possible.

FAQs for Longest Railway Bridges in India

Q: Which is the longest railway bridge in India?
A: Bogibeel Bridge is the longest railway bridge in India spanning at a length of 4.94 kilometres.

Q: Which is the second-longest railway bridge in India?
A: Vembanad Rail Bridge is the second-longest railway bridge in India at a length of 4.62 kilometres.

Q: Which Indian railway bridge is the longest sea bridge?
A: The New Pamban Bridge is the longest sea bridge in India measuring 2.07 kilometres across the Palk Strait connecting Mandapam to Rameshwaram Island.

Q: Are there any railway bridges longer than road bridges in India?
A: The longest bridge in India is a road bridge named Atal Setu at 18.19 kilometres length. However there are many Railway bridges longer than road bridges in India. For example, Vembanad Rail Bridge (4.62 km) is significantly longer than the Arrah Chapra Road Bridge (4.35 km).

Q: Why are railway bridges in India considered engineering marvels?
A: Railway bridges are considered engineering marvels in India due to the environmental challenges they face. Exploring rivers, roaring monsoons and the lofty hilly terrains are some of the challenges engineers have to face and most of Indian railway bridges are constructed by overcoming them.